Worried about rampant encroachments across the city, the state government has appointed a committee under the Chief Secretary (CS) for land audits of open spaces. The government wants to prepare a policy against encroachments and therefore the 11-member Committee under CS J.P. Dange would survey the open spaces in the city, an official from Housing Department said.

The committee will suggest measures to protect the open lands, gardens and footpaths from encroachments and also recommend actions to be taken against officers failing to stop the encroachments, the official said.

The panel will meet every three months and BMC, MMRDA, Mhada and other Government agencies would help the committee in the work. The land audit can be done manually and also with the help of remote sensing satellite imagery.

A Government Resolutions issued in this regard said unaffordable prices for housing are forcing people to stay in slums while industrialisation is attracting more people to come to the city for jobs.

Chief Minister Ashok Chavan had announced to conduct the land audits with the help of satellite mapping during the last monsoon session of the State Legislature intending to curb illegal slums.